New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday stayed a
Lokayukta police probe into the roles of IAS officer D S
Aswath and two other officials in a case of alleged illegal
mining in Karnataka, involving External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna.
While staying the probe against the three, a bench of
justices Altamas Kabir and S S Nijjar sought the state
government`s replies to their pleas within four weeks and
tagged the matter for further hearing with Krishna`s petition
on March 30.
The cases against Krishna and others related to an FIR
registered against them in the case of alleged illegal mining,
dating back to Union minister`s tenure as Karnataka chief
minister.
The apex court had on January 27 stayed the proceedings on
the FIR against Krishna on his plea, observing that the case
"was too premature".
"We are inclined to stay the proceedings. Accordingly,
the proceedings arising out of the FIR on the issue ordered by
the Karnataka Lokayukta will remain stayed," the apex court
had said earlier on Krishna`s plea, challenging the January 20
order of the Karnataka High Court, which had refused to give
him the relief.
The bench had said the probe ordered by the Lokayukta
court was "premature" as the proceedings before the ombudsman
was "incomplete" on account of the failure of the submission
of the supplementary report.
The bench, which had issued a notice and sought response
within three weeks from Karnataka government and the
complainant, on whose plea the FIR was registered, also said
"we are all anxious that truth should come out".
PTI
